CHANGE THE RIDE

If you’re my age you know who said, “Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives,” and maybe you are younger but you still know who it was. Respect.

It is strange for me to realise that John Lennon, yes that’s one of many quotes he made, but yeah I find it strange to realise that it is nearly 40 years since he died. It was 1980, I was 20 years old, he was 40. At that time I enjoyed the music, I understood he had written lyrics and made comments which were controversial shall we say, but apart from the music I didn’t really pay action to them.

The Beatles had always been in my life. There is not a time I can remember when they weren’t around. Sadly half of them are no longer with us but that’s part of life and we come to accept that sooner or later. I grew up listening to my older brother playing The Beatles on his mono Dansette boxy record player. Brilliant. I look back now and accept that I perhaps took them for granted.

The Beatles, in the 60’s grew into having something to say about the state of affairs, the state of society. John Lennon had an answer. It was peace. He suggested giving it a chance. He said we’ve tried war and that’s not really working out so well for the people so how about we declare peace and give it a go. He was shot and killed.

There are whispers, theories, that he was taken out by powers that wanted to shut him up. That may be a discussion for another time. One thing is sure though, his death meant that he could no longer ask the awkward questions and leave them hanging for us to ponder for ourselves. There is a hole, a vacuum, a place which he used to fill. Newspapers would always print a Beatles story regardless of what was being said, no matter if they liked it or not, the Beatles sold papers, but there was no-one in a position to step up and take his place, he is irreplaceable.

Unlike our modern day Bono (Regardless of how much I like some of U2s material), John Lennon would not have embarrassed himself by sitting comfortably in the company of the very people he was publicly criticising, the very same people who were perpetuating the situation. We should wonder what he would have had to say about the way things have gone in this World since 1980, especially the way things have gone in the last 20 years.

Insane people, insane objectives.. he would probably say, “I told you so.” I also remember during that same press conference he asked if someone, anyone, could write down what Governments are actually trying to do, to show he was wrong. I don’t think anyone has taken up that challenge yet because when you do look and try to make sense of it all, it soon becomes clear that it is insane. There is no great plan for a society which benefits the people. In fact I would go so far as to say that absolutely nothing is done by any government solely for the good of the people. Even when they do something which seems good for us, I believe they are only doing it to placate us for a wee while. It’s kinda like that 100% unselfish act, it doesn’t exist.

I would not presume to use a country as an example other than my own but I am sure that there are many similarities all over the World. Our elected Members of Parliament are there on the premise that they will represent the people who voted for them …but they don’t. They represent themselves, their own self interest. The people complain, quietly, mostly on Facebook, but actually do very little, maybe sign an online petition, something that doesn’t take too much effort but makes them feel they did something. Then it’s back to watching their latest TV Series, watching funny cat videos, worrying about paying the bills, buying food, rent and so on, the result of the politics of fear.

This is when me miss someone like John Lennon, someone to speak what we feel, someone who could get their words printed in the papers and reported on by TV news. A point, or person, to focus on, someone to help us feel less alone with our thoughts and beliefs on the corrupted system.

But all is not lost. I know I’ve rambled on a bit but these things I do. I have for many years held the belief that if we all look after our own wee bit of the World the whole World would be a totally different place. By this I mean looking after family, friends. Perhaps extending that out to neighbours and those in our own communities who need a hand up. Maybe help out the homeless folks we walk passed every morning and volunteering with a local organisation that gives people a hand up.

It’s easy enough to drop some spare money in a cup but to actually give up our time to go and physically be present, involved with something, now that takes belief and commitment. I could have deleted that last line because it makes me feel uncomfortable, I’m a money dropper not a volunteer, I don’t physically show up. I will have a word with myself. However, little ripples become great waves, or something like that, so every little thing we do can help, no matter how small an act may seem to us personally it is still worth doing. When all the small acts are added up they become huge.

Like my dear departed Mum used to say, “Many a mickle maks a muckle.”

Okay, I’m done. I started out thinking I was going to write about John Lennon, I ended up taking a convoluted route to end up with my Mum. Somehow I ended up challenging myself to do more for others and I realise that rather than looking for a replacement John Lennon, we just have to be John Lennon. I need a cup of tea.

You take it easy